How to Find Your TFN Number in Australia: Every Option

Wondering how to find your TFN number? Your Tax File Number is printed on documents the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has sent you, such as a notice of assessment, and it is also visible inside your ATO online services through myGov. If you cannot locate it anywhere, you can call the ATO and prove your identity, and you will not need to apply for a new number.

Where your TFN may already be written down

Before logging in anywhere, have a quick look at paperwork you may already own. Your TFN has probably been recorded in more places than you remember.

• Notice of assessment. This is the document the ATO issues after you lodge a tax return, and it shows your TFN.
• ATO letters and emails. Formal correspondence about your tax affairs normally includes your number.
• Income statements and payment summaries. Records from employers may include it, though the format varies.
• Superannuation statements. Your fund holds your TFN on file, and some statements display it, either in full or partly masked.
• Old tax returns and accountant paperwork. A tax agent will have it in your file, and your copies of past returns will show it.
• The original TFN confirmation. If you kept the letter that came when you first received your number, it will be there.

Payslips do not reliably show your TFN, so do not spend too much time hunting through them.

How to find your TFN number online through myGov

The online route is usually the fastest, because it works at any hour and you do not need to wait on the phone.

1. Sign in to your myGov account, using your password and the extra security step you set up.
2. Select the Australian Taxation Office from your list of linked services. If it is not linked yet, follow the prompts to link it, which will ask for some details from your tax records so the system can confirm it is you.
3. Inside ATO online services, open your profile or personal details area.
4. Look for your Tax File Number, which is generally shown within your account or profile details.

The ATO app can do the same job once you are signed in, and again the TFN is usually under profile or personal details. Menus change from time to time, so look for the closest label if the wording differs. The ATO’s official home page is ato.gov.au, and it is the right place to begin if you are unsure about anything.

Options at a glance

Option	Speed	What you need
Notice of assessment or ATO letter	Immediate if you have it	Your own files, paper or email
Super fund statement or account	Quick	Fund login or recent statement
myGov and ATO online services	A few minutes	myGov login, ATO linked
ATO app	A few minutes	Signed-in app
Tax agent or accountant	Depends on their reply	Contact them directly
Phone the ATO	Depends on wait time	Identity details and records

Contacting the ATO directly

If none of the above works, get in touch with the ATO. The staff will ask questions to confirm your identity, which might include personal details and information from your tax history, such as figures from a recent return. Have identity documents and any previous paperwork on the table before you call. Take the phone number or contact options from the official ato.gov.au website, and not from a search result, an advert or a message that reached you unprompted.

If you have never been issued a TFN, you can apply for one, generally online. People coming from overseas need to meet the eligibility conditions and provide proof of identity and of their right to work or study. The ATO page for TFN applications lists the requirements, and it is free to apply. Be wary of any third-party site that charges for this.

Keeping your TFN safe

A TFN is valuable to identity thieves, who can use it to lodge fraudulent returns or open accounts. Sensible habits help:

• Share it only with organisations that are entitled to ask for it, such as your employer, bank or super fund, and ask why if you are unsure.
• Do not send it through ordinary email, text or social media messages.
• Be suspicious of calls, texts and emails that claim to be from the ATO and demand payment or personal information urgently. The Australian government’s Scamwatch site at scamwatch.gov.au explains the common tricks.
• Keep paperwork in a secure place and shred copies you no longer need.
• If you suspect your TFN has been stolen or misused, contact the ATO and consider contacting IDCARE, Australia’s national identity and cyber support service, at idcare.org.

Readers elsewhere who are looking for the equivalent in the United States can read our explainer on what an SSN means, which covers similar safety advice.

When you will need your TFN

You typically need your TFN when you start a new job, set up or roll over super, lodge a tax return, open a bank account if you want to avoid extra tax withheld on interest, and apply for certain government payments. You are not legally required to give your TFN to an employer, but if you do not, your employer may withhold tax at a higher rate. Quoting it is generally in your interest.

Many people moving between jobs or banks find this part of onboarding stressful, and a clear plan helps. If you are also updating your work history, our guide to writing an example of a profile on a CV may be a useful companion.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Knowing how to find your TFN number saves time at every job change and tax time. Look at your ATO paperwork first, try myGov or the app next, and call the ATO on the official number if you need to. Guard the number carefully once you have it.